Teams Still in Need of Offensive Line Help Keep Close Eye on Trent Williams’ 49ers Situation

The 49ers continue to negotiate with future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams after he quickly rebuffed their initial restructured contract offer, according to league sources, with the team still reluctant to pay him the $33M currently due to him in 2026.

It’s not out of the question the stalwart asks for a trade, a fairly common phenomenon in San Francisco in recent years. 

The 49ers are making it clear to the player they have no intentions of simply releasing him to remedy the impasse, according to the sources, but have also been reluctant to embrace trade possibilities. 

If the sides cannot bridge that gap by the end of the week, some rival executives believe a trade could become the likeliest outcome. 

The Kansas City Chiefs, we continue to hear, would be at the front of the line to try to secure his services.

When will the situation come to a head?

The 49ers have until the 10th day of the NFL’s league year to pick up a $10M option bonus on Williams’s contract. The original two-year proposal they presented to Williams sent nowhere and while there has been a bit of a thawing out in the sides original stances there was still considerable work to be done to reach a conclusion. 

Figuring out the guaranteed money is a big issue for a 37-year old player who continues to perform at an elite level but has a history of serious injuries. 

The 49ers are trying to extend a Super Bowl window with as many key players from their recent playoff runs as possible, and Williams is a priority, but the roster is also in need of continued retooling, they have dealt with a serious salary cap crunch for years, and Williams is acutely aware that several top contending teams are still in need of a left tackle upgrade.

“I could see it ending up with a trade demand,” as one league source put it. 

“He has a lot of leverage. And the 49ers might not want to admit it, but they know it too.”